Though the NBA off season has been going on for multiple months now, the roster gymnastics aren't quite finished yet for every team.

• The Dallas Mavericks let go of Olivier Maxence-Prosper -- their 2023 first round pick -- by using the waive-and-stretch provision in his contract Thursday afternoon, according to ESPN.

  The move will spread the remaining $3 million on his contract across the next three years, which will now put the Mavericks $3.6 million under the second apron, according to Spotrac. Waiving Maxence-Prosper also frees up an extra roster spot, as the Mavericks are reportedly targeting Dante Exum to bring back as a backup point guard.

  With All-Star Kyrie Irving missing at least half, and potentially more, of next season with a torn ACL, the Mavericks are lacking point guard depth. Right now the only "true" point guard Dallas has on the roster is D'Angelo Russell.

  Exum was able to fill the backup point guard role for Dallas well the last two years, appearing in 75 games and averaging 8.0 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the field and 47 percent from 3-point range. His salary was $3 million last year, so with the opened-up cap space he won't have to take a pay cut.

  The 6-foot-8 Maxence-Prosper was taken with the 24th pick in the 2023 draft out of Marquette with a pick that was traded to Dallas from Sacramento. In two seasons with the Mavericks he played in 92 games, averaging just 10 minutes per game. His per-game averages during his time in Dallas were 3.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.7 assists, while shooting just under 40 percent from the field.

  With rookie phenom Cooper Flagg, All-Star Anthony Davis and P.J Washington in line to start, there were too many forwards on the roster for Maxence-Prosper to warrant a spot. The Mavericks attempted to trade Maxence-Prosper but were unable to find a deal before ultimately waiving him.

  --Field Level Media

Doris Burke signed a multi-year contract extension with ESPN, but she will no longer be part of the NBA Finals announcer team for ABC/ESPN, the company revealed Thursday.

• Following an initial report of Burke's demotion in The Athletic, ESPN announced that Tim Legler will join the four-person "lead NBA broadcast team" in Burke's place. Mike Breen remains the main play-by-play man, Richard Jefferson will continue to be an analyst with Legler and Lisa Salters will become the main sideline reporter.

  Burke, an ESPN veteran of more than 30 years, became the first woman to serve as a TV game analyst for a championship in one of the four major sports leagues when she called the 2024 NBA Finals.

  She worked with Breen and Jefferson in the 2025 NBA Finals but it was reported as early as June that Burke might be headed for an adjusted role.

  Burke will join play-by-play caller Dave Pasch on ESPN's No. 2 broadcast team in the 2025-26 season.

  Burke, 60, entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018 as that year's Curt Gowdy Media Award recipient.

  --Field Level Media

South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley confirmed she interviewed this summer for the New York Knicks' head coaching vacancy, saying she was prepared to become the first woman to lead an NBA team if the job had been offered.

• Speaking on the "Post Moves" podcast hosted by Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston, Staley said she entered the interview curious about how the Knicks envisioned her candidacy. "If the Knicks would have offered me the job, I would have had to do it," she said. "It's not just for me, it's for women ... it's the freakin' New York Knicks."

  The Knicks ultimately hired veteran coach Mike Brown to succeed Tom Thibodeau, who was dismissed after guiding the team to its first Eastern Conference finals in a quarter-century. According to league sources, Staley impressed New York executives during the process but was not among the finalists.

  Staley, 55, acknowledged that she challenged the organization with questions about inclusivity and the implications of hiring a woman, which may have impacted her chances at getting the job.

  "The NBA has to be ready for a female head coach," she said.

  A Naismith Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA champion with South Carolina, Staley signed a contract extension in January worth more than $25 million through the 2029-30 season. She has previously been linked to NBA openings, including an interview with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021.

  Her candidacy with New York came amid a broader but gradual rise in women on NBA sidelines. Several women currently serve as assistants, including the Los Angeles Lakers' Lindsey Harding, who was the first female head coach to win G League Coach of the Year honors in 2024. No woman has yet been appointed to a full-time NBA head coaching role.

  --Field Level Media

Florida Panthers executive Matthew Caldwell accepted a 10-year deal to serve as the CEO of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, the teams announced Wednesday.

• Caldwell, who will relinquish his role as the president of business operations with the NHL's Panthers, will begin overseeing "day-to-day business operations and high-level strategic initiatives for the Timberwolves, Lynx and Iowa Wolves" (of the G League). He will assume those responsibilities on Sept. 2 from interim-CEO Kelly Laferriere, who has led the organization during its ownership transition period.

  Caldwell joined the Panthers as chief operating officer in 2014 before being promoted to CEO in 2016. Now, he will serve under new Timberwolves and Lynx owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez.

  "I love the NHL. I've enjoyed hockey and I'm a big fan of it," Caldwell said. "But the NBA is just a much bigger, global platform. I really believe in Marc and Alex and their vision and what they're trying to do. They're trying to make Minnesota best in class."

  Lore and Rodriguez provided a joint statement: "Our vision is for the Timberwolves and Lynx to set a new standard of excellence in pro sports and we're confident that Matthew is the leader needed to make that a reality. Leading our organization into an innovative new era requires an exceptional individual at the helm and Matthew's proven track record leading the business of the Florida Panthers is undeniable. We can't wait to see the remarkable impact his bold leadership will have on this organization."

  Panthers owner Vincent Viola was quick to applaud Caldwell for his leadership, vision and dedication to the NHL franchise.

  "There are very few opportunities I would advise him to pursue, but working with Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore on a global platform like the NBA is at the top of that list," Viola said. "It's tremendously bittersweet for our family, but we recognize this is an exceptional opportunity and great next step in his career. Matt's impact on our organization has been immeasurable and he leaves with our respect and gratitude."

  Caldwell was proud of what he accomplished during his time with the Panthers, who are the two-time reigning Stanley Cup champions.

  "These past nine years as CEO of the Florida Panthers have been the highlight of my professional career. The Viola family has been a second family to me, and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have led this historic franchise turnaround," Caldwell said. "... The Panthers franchise is in great hands with the executive team and hockey leadership in place and I will be cheering from afar as the team continues its championship run."

  Owner and alternate governor Michael Viola will oversee the search for a new president of business operations for the Panthers.

  --Field Level Media

The Cleveland Cavaliers announced on Tuesday that guard Max Strus underwent surgery on his left foot and may miss three to four months, which will sideline him for a portion of the 2025-26 regular season.

• Strus, 29, suffered a Jones fracture during a recent workout and underwent surgery at Forte Sports Medicine and Orthopedics in Indianapolis. A Jones fracture is a break of the bone linking the pinkie toe to the foot's base.

  The prolific distance shooter also missed the first two months last season after suffering a sprained right ankle during pre-season workouts.

  He returned in late December and played in 50 regular season contests, averaging 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Strus shot 38.6 percent from 3-point range, converting 2.3 treys per outing. In nine playoff games, he averaged 11.7 points, including two games with 20 or more points in the East semifinals vs. Indiana.

  After one season in Chicago and three in Miami, the DePaul product joined Cleveland on a four-year, $63 million sign-and-trade deal. In his first season with the Cavs, he averaged a career-high 12.2 points per game.

  Strus averages 10.4 points across 309 career contests, including 156 starts.

  --Field Level Media

Now that is one expensive card.

• A signed card featuring Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant sold for $12.932 million on Saturday, establishing a record for most ever paid for a sports collectible card.

  This record-setting card is known as the 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs Jordan & Bryant card. It surpassed the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card, which was sold for $12.6 million in August 2022.

  The Jordan/Bryant card is the second most expensive sports collectible ever, behind Babe Ruth's 1932 World Series "called shot" jersey. That little piece of history sold for $24.12 million in 2024.

  The Jordan/Bryant card was sold through Heritage Auctions. The purchaser's identity was not revealed.

  Chris Ivy, Heritage's director of sports auctions, said via ESPN that the Jordan/Bryant card is "the pinnacle as far as modern card collectors are concerned." He added that "another one can't be created. It's always been looked at by modern basketball collectors as a holy grail."

  Ivy added that the card's previous owner had kept it for more than a decade, turning down "high seven-figure" private offers in that time.

  "The pre-auction estimate was $6 million-plus," Ivy told ESPN, "so sometimes if a piece is unique like this, it's really beneficial to let it have its day."

  -Field Level Media

Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton admitted that he is taking small steps forward in his recovery from an Achilles injury.

• Very small steps.

  "I'm walking now in my boot," Haliburton said on Saturday while speaking to reporters at the Simple Truth Tyrese Haliburton Pro Camp in Westfield, Ind.

  "Getting closer to walking full time in my shoe. So, that's exciting for me. It's kind of like a new benchmark, a new achievement for me. ... Just being able to walk, it's like the small wins right now. Just taking it a day at a time. I have good days, bad days."

  Haliburton, 25, will miss the upcoming 2025-26 season after sustaining the injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City.

  "I obviously want to be good tomorrow but I know it takes time," Haliburton said. "The team has already ruled me out for the year, so I'm in no rush. It's just about getting 100 percent, not necessarily as fast as I can, but getting 100 percent is important. I don't want to come back and be 85, 90 percent. I want to be able to come back at 100, so I'm just taking my time through that."

  Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 73 games (all starts) last season and was selected All-NBA third team.

  A two-time All-Star, Haliburton has career averages of 17.5 points, 8.8 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 333 games (294 starts) for the Sacramento Kings (2020-22) and Pacers.

  --Field Level Media

Former Seattle SuperSonics All-Star Shawn Kemp will spend 30 days under electronic home monitoring and must perform 240 hours of community service after pleading guilty to charges in a 2023 case.

• Kemp pleaded guilty in May to one count of second-degree assault in relation to a shooting incident outside a Tacoma, Wash., mall in March 2023. He was sentenced Friday.

  Prosecutors had asked for nine months of jail plus a year of community custody, which is similar to probation. The community custody was granted, and the community service must be done in that year.

  Kemp admitted to firing at two men in a Toyota 4Runner after his cell phone, sports memorabilia and other belongings were stolen from his truck. He traced his phone to the Toyota 4Runner and he said he was fired on by an occupant and shot at the vehicle in self-defense.

  "I should have used better discretion," Kemp, 55, said in court Friday in Pierce County, Wash.

  He told reporters outside the courtroom that he looks forward to going into the community and advocating for gun safety. He also said he should have called police instead of taking the law into his own hands.

  "A simple call to cops probably could have handled this."

  No one was injured in the incident. Prosecutors said they could trace four shots fired by Kemp, with three of them hitting the 4Runner and the fourth striking another vehicle.

  He had no prior criminal history.

  Kemp was selected by the SuperSonics in the first round of the 1989 NBA draft and spent the first eight of his 14 NBA seasons in Seattle. The "Reign Man" averaged 14.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game during his career. He made six consecutive All-Star appearances from 1993-98.

  --Field Level Media

NBA free-agent guard Malik Beasley no longer is the target of a federal gambling investigation, his attorneys told ESPN on Friday.

• Authorities from the Eastern District of New York were looking into allegations that Beasley was tied to gambling activity on NBA games and prop bets during the 2023-24 season. He played for the Milwaukee Bucks at the time.

  "Months after this investigation commenced, Malik remains uncharged and is not the target of this investigation," Beasley's attorney Steve Haney told ESPN. "An allegation with no charge, indictment or conviction should never have the catastrophic consequence this has caused Malik. This has literally been the opposite of the presumption of innocence."

  Beasley spent the 2024-25 season with the Detroit Pistons on a one-year, $6 million contract.

  ESPN reported that because of the allegations, discussions about a new three-year, $42 million contract were halted.

  Beasley, 28, appeared in all 82 games (18 starts) last season with the Pistons and averaged 16.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 41.6 percent from three-point range.

  He has career averages of 11.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists with the Denver Nuggets (2016-20), Minneapolis Timberwolves (2020-22), Utah Jazz (2022-23), Los Angeles Lakers (2023), Bucks (2023-24) and Pistons.

  The NBA suspended Beasley for 12 games in 2021 after he entered a guilty plea to a felony charge of threats of violence. He was sentenced to 120 days in jail to be served after the 2020-21 season and was released after 78 days.

  --Field Level Media

Quenton Marselles Brown, the father of Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown, was arrested following a stabbing in Las Vegas on Wednesday and charged with attempted murder.

• The elder Brown had his first court appearance on Thursday, when his bail was set at $300,000, according to multiple reports.

  Per an arrest report, the incident took place in a parking lot outside a Las Vegas park. A man and his girlfriend were sitting in their car when an SUV parked beside them. Someone exiting the SUV allegedly dinged the door of the car in the adjacent spot, prompting a confrontation.

  The victim's girlfriend told police that the man purported to be Brown "briskly walked after (the victim) while producing (an) unknown object from his right side." He swung his arm and struck the victim in the back before hitting him several times in the stomach.

  Brown's attorney told Las Vegas television station KSNV that his client acted in self-defense. They claimed that Brown was hit over the head with a gun, which was not in the police report.

  Brown was a professional boxer who became the World Boxing Union (WBU) world champion in 2016. Multiple stories about his boxing days list him as 7 feet tall.

  --Field Level Media

The Chicago Bulls will retire former NBA MVP Derrick Rose's No. 1 jersey on Jan. 24, the team announced Thursday.

• The Bulls will host the Boston Celtics that night at the United Center.

  Rose, 36, announced his retirement from the league over social media on Sept. 26.

  The No. 1 jersey has not been worn by a Bulls player since Rose was traded to the New York Knicks in 2016. Michael Carter-Williams and Anthony Morrow were issued the number but switched after fan backlash.

  Rose will be the fifth player in Bulls history to have his number retired, joining Jerry Sloan (No. 4), Bob Love (10), Michael Jordan (23) and Scottie Pippen (33).

  Rose was selected by his hometown Bulls with the top overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and was named the 2008-09 Rookie of the Year.

  At 22, Rose became the youngest player in league history to be named the NBA MVP during the 2010-11 season.

  Chicago was 245-161 (.603) in games in which Rose played. In his MVP season, he led the Bulls to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 1998 -- the final season of the Bulls' second NBA championship three-peat.

  Rose's career took a turn for the worse after he tore an ACL during the first round of the 2012 playoffs. He sat out the following season and was limited to 10 games in 2013-14.

  A three-time All-Star, Rose posted career averages of 17.4 points, 5.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 723 career games (518 starts) with the Bulls, Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies.

  Injuries limited Rose to 24 games (seven starts) with the Grizzlies in 2023-24 as he averaged 8.0 points, 3.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds.

  --Field Level Media

Five-time All-Star and former top overall draft pick John Wall announced his retirement from the NBA on Tuesday.

• Wall, who will turn 35 on Sept. 6, last played in the league with the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2022-23 season. Knee injuries limited him to just 147 games since the start of the 2017-18 season.

  "Every jersey I've worn meant more than wins and stats," Wall said in a video posted on social media. "It represented something bigger."

  Wall began the first of his nine seasons with Washington after being selected by the Wizards with the top overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft out of Kentucky. He averaged 19.0 points, 9.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 573 career games (561 starts) with Washington.

  "One of our franchise all-time greats. The definition of an era. A lasting legacy. A forever Wizard. Congratulations on your retirement," the team wrote on social media.

  Wall, who did not play in 2019-20, was involved in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Rockets on Dec. 2, 2020, that saw Russell Westbrook sent to Washington. The Wizards sent Wall and a first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft to the Rockets for Westbrook and a lottery-protected first-round pick in the same 2023 draft.

  Wall played one season in Houston (2020-21), sat out the 2021-22 season with an injury and came back to compete in 34 games with the Clippers in 2022-23.

  --Field Level Media

Rick Carlisle is signing a contract extension with the Indiana Pacers on the heels of their run to the 2025 NBA Finals.

• According to multiple reports, Carlisle agreed earlier this week to his second extension in less than two years. Indiana won the Eastern Conference and lost the Finals in seven games to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

  The Pacers lost All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles in the seventh game of the series, and starting center Myles Turner joined the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency.

  Carlisle said earlier this week the Pacers would be counting on Bennedict Mathurin to start in his third season and pointed to Johnny Furphy as a "seamless fit" in the offensive system who could break out.

  Indiana won 50 games last season and entered the playoffs as the No. 4 seed. They eliminated the No. 5 seed Bucks and top-seeded Cavaliers to set up a series with the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.

  Carlisle has a career record of 993-860, which includes two stints with the Pacers. He has also coached the Detroit Pistons and Mavericks, winning the 2011 NBA Finals with Dallas.

  A 6-foot-5 shooting guard, Carlisle was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the third round and also played for the Knicks and then-New Jersey Nets.

  He went to the Finals three times with Boston and was on the roster for the NBA championship in 1986.

  He is one of 14 to win an NBA title as a player and head coach.

  The 65-year-old Carlisle played basketball at Virginia, advancing to the Final Four and dropping the national semifinal game to Houston in the 1984 NCAA Tournament.

  --Field Level Media

Two days after Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic left a game for his native Slovenia following a right knee injury, he was cleared to resume playing as his national team prepares for the upcoming EuroBasket competition.

• Doncic avoided a potentially serious injury Saturday after a teammate was pushed toward the ground and into his lower legs under the basket during a game Saturday against Latvia.

  Doncic initially appeared to be in severe pain before walking off the court and to the locker room with a noticeable limp. He returned to the bench later in the game.

  Slovenia is scheduled to face Great Britain in a an exhibition game on Tuesday.

  Doncic, 26, was acquired by the Lakers in a surprise trade with the Dallas Mavericks in February and then signed a three-year, $165 million contract extension earlier this month.

  Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 28 games (all starts) after his move to the Lakers. He is averaging 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists in 450 career games (all starts) over seven seasons with the Mavericks and Lakers.

  --Field Level Media

The Toronto Raptors are adding president of basketball operations duties onto the plate of general manager Bobby Webster, ESPN reported Monday.

• Webster will continue to serve as the team's GM as well.

  Webster, 40, takes over the team's top front office role from Masai Ujiri, who was fired on June 27. Ujiri hired Webster in 2013 as the team's vice president of strategy.

  A native of Hawaii, Webster was hired by the NBA in 2006 and advised teams on salary cap and luxury tax details. He remained with the league until moving to the Raptors.

  In June of 2017, Webster was promoted to Raptors general manager in place of Jeff Weltman. He was the NBA's youngest general manager at the time at age 32, and two seasons later, the franchise won its lone NBA title.

  Toronto has made the playoffs just twice since winning the championship in 2019 and has not advanced to the postseason in any of the past three seasons. The Raptors finished 30-52 last season, slightly better than their 25-57 mark in 2023-24 under head coach Darko Rajakovic.

  --Field Level Media

The Miami Heat are re-signing guard Dru Smith to a three-year contract, according to multiple media reports on Saturday.

• Smith, 27, dealt with a torn Achilles tendon last season and a torn ACL about a year earlier. His first-year salary is fully guaranteed, with the second and third years having conditional guarantees, the Miami Herald reported.

  Last season, he averaged 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.5 steals across 19.1 minutes per game in 14 appearances (one start) before suffering a season-ending injury in December.

  For his career, Smith averages 4.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals, and 14.7 minutes in 38 games (two starts) for the Miami Heat (2021-2022, 2023-present) and Brooklyn Nets (2023).

  His return comes one day after the Heat traded forward Haywood Highsmith and a 2032 second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for a protected 2026 second-round pick. Highsmith was slated to make $5.6 million and the Heat, who want to be below the luxury tax line, are expected to pay Smith no more than half that, per the Herald's report.

  --Field Level Media

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic appears to have avoided a serious injury during Slovenia's EuroBasket exhibition game against Latvia on Saturday, The Athletic reported.

• Doncic was favoring his right leg after a teammate got pushed into him. The five-time All-NBA guard remained on the floor for several moments before gingerly walking back to the locker room on his own.

  Lakers fans were able to breathe a sigh of relief, however, after Doncic returned to the bench shortly thereafter.

  Signed to a three-year, $165 million contract extension earlier this month, Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 28 games (all starts) after being acquired by the Lakers in a three-team deal on Feb. 2.

  Doncic, 26, is averaging 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists in 450 career games (all starts) with the Dallas Mavericks (2018-25) and Lakers.

  --Field Level Media

The Miami Heat traded forward Haywood Highsmith to the Brooklyn Nets, the latter team announced Friday.

• The Heat also sent a 2032 second-round pick to the Nets in exchange for a protected 2026 second-round pick, per the report.

  Highsmith, 28, is recovering from surgery last week to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee. He was expected to be sidelined for eight to 10 weeks.

  He sustained the injury while training in his native Baltimore. He is entering the final season of the two-year, $10.8 million contract he signed last summer.

  Highsmith averaged a career-high 6.5 points and 1.5 assists to go along with 3.4 rebounds in 74 games (42 starts) with the Heat in 2024-25.

  He has career averages of 5.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 20.0 minutes in 218 games (80 starts) with the Philadelphia 76ers (2019) and Heat.

  --Field Level Media

The NBA was a league in transition last season. Apparently, NBC wasn't paying attention.

• On Opening Night this October, the NBA's new broadcast partner is giving us... well, the same thing we got the last time we invited the peacock into our home to watch some basketball: the Olympics. We get Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and LeBron James. Only a year older.

  If only NBC could have thrown in the Celtics, just so seeing Jayson Tatum on the bench could complete the Paris grand slam.

  I get it. You have to show the defending champ's ring ceremony, and throwing in Durant's first game as a Rocket adds a second attractive element to the season's curtain-raiser between Houston and Oklahoma City.

  And Curry vs. James just doesn't get old, even if they will be meeting for the 56th time. Seriously, the Joe DiMaggio Commemorative for the California rival Warriors and Lakers.

  But let's be honest. The NBA has a new look, even if we have to wait until Day 2 on ESPN to witness it.

  Here are the 10 regular-season matchups to which I'm most looking forward to watching:

  Oct. 22: Spurs at Mavericks

  Cooper Flagg draws Victor Wembanyama for his NBA debut in what could be the most highly anticipated matchup of the entire season. A day late, but surely not a dollar short. What's more: Spurs coach Mitch Johnson's first bright-lights opportunity to show us he's not going to be the next Jerod Mayo.

  Nov. 3: Bucks at Pacers

  Among the biggest head-scratchers of the offseason was Myles Turner's decision to leave a team with a future (Pacers) for a team with a past (Bucks). In this homecoming, some will let him know what they think about the choice. But most will applaud the decade that went into putting Indiana basketball back on the map... only to see Caitlin Clark ride into town and steal it away. Hmm, maybe THAT'S why he left.

  Nov. 24: Jazz at Warriors

  Just a guess here that the suddenly twitchy Danny Ainge is the one who lands Jonathan Kuminga at the 11th hour. Wherever the polarizing young prospect hangs his baggage, rest assured Warriors fans won't be "Ku"-ing in his first game back in San Francisco. Here's hoping new Valkyries mascot Violet The Raven doesn't get the wrong message and swoop down from the rafters.

  Nov. 25: Clippers at Lakers

  Somewhere outside the arena, Gavin Newsom will have a photo shoot in front of a sign that reads: "First LA, then the world." Hey, Gov, it was referring to this suddenly rejuvenated rivalry.

  Nov. 26: Rockets at Warriors

  Every Durant return to San Francisco is a spectacle. What makes this one special is that he'll be trying to prove he can be the difference-maker for Houston in a potential postseason rematch of Golden State's 7-over-2 upset last spring.

  Dec. 23: Thunder at Spurs

  By this point, Wembanyama will have waited more than a year for a rematch with fellow beanpole Chet Holmgren after a humiliating head-to-head last October. Although just one-third of the way into the new season, the chances of one or the other already being hurt are far greater than snowy holidays in Texas.

  Jan. 19: Thunder at Cavaliers

  Who would have guessed Thunder-Pacers in the Finals would turn into great theater? I suggest we give this matchup of preseason conference favorites a look-see before concluding that we'd rather see the Knicks and Nuggets in June.

  Jan. 24: Lakers at Mavericks

  Will Dallas fans recognize a trimmed-down Luka Doncic? That said, having already had a shot at both the Thanksgiving and Christmas buffet tables, will Doncic even be trimmed-down anymore? And if that weren't enough, you've got the first-ever duel of the most popular rookies of the last two seasons: Flagg vs. Bronny James.

  Feb. 1: Thunder at Nuggets

  All summer long we heard an echoing through the Rockies. The sound of home runs by the opposition at Coors Field? No. Rather: "SGA no MVP!" It's time to duke it out.

  April 12: Magic at Celtics

  A potential tune-up for Tatum as he prepares -- in his mind -- to return from his blown Achilles and save the season for the Celtics in the upcoming playoffs. I can already hear Mark Jones proclaim: "This is not a team you want to see in the postseason." And given the relative weakness of the East, he just might be right.

  --Dave Del Grande, Field Level Media

The NBA released its 2025-26 regular-season schedule Thursday, revealing the dates of marquee matchups and highlighting its new three-pronged media rights deal.

• This will be the first season of an 11-year agreement that sees NBCUniversal and Amazon get in on the NBA action alongside ESPN, with Turner Sports' TNT out of the picture.

  The NBA's national broadcast schedule with these new partners was revealed. It features games on ABC, NBC and Peacock on Sundays; Peacock alone on Mondays; and NBC and Peacock on Tuesdays. ESPN will carry national broadcasts Wednesdays and Fridays, ABC will add games on Saturday and Prime Video will feature on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

  Thanksgiving week will feature a pair of star forwards visiting their old digs for the first time. Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets will play at the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 24, Durant's first time facing Phoenix following an offseason trade.

  Then, on Nov. 28, the Dallas Mavericks will visit Los Angeles to mark Anthony Davis' first game at the Lakers since the blockbuster deal featuring him and Luka Doncic trading uniforms.

  Some marquee games already were known, including the opening night doubleheader on Oct. 21 (Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors at Lakers) and the five-game slate on Christmas Day.

  NBC will carry the Oct. 21 doubleheader, while ESPN gets in on the action Oct. 22. The new-look Mavericks and No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg will play host to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs that day after the Cleveland Cavaliers open the season at the New York Knicks.

  The Boston Celtics dealt Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason. Portland -- which also brought back longtime star guard Damian Lillard -- will visit Boston on Jan. 26.

  As for the Lakers, it remains up in the air whether LeBron James will play beyond this season, his 23rd in the league. His final trip to his hometown Cavaliers is scheduled for Jan. 28.

  Each team learned of 80 of its 82 regular-season dates Thursday. The other two games will be determined by the results of the in-season NBA Cup.

  --Field Level Media

A group headed by Bill Chisholm is set to take control of the Boston Celtics after the NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale on Wednesday.

• The NBA wrote in a statement, "The transaction is expected to close shortly."

  The reported $6.1 billion valuation for the club makes it the second-largest sale price for a U.S. sports franchise, behind the $10 billion valuation for the Los Angeles Lakers when Mark Walter purchased that team in June.

  Chisholm and his partners are buying at least 51 percent of the Celtics. The ownership stake will increase in 2028, according to the purchase contract, when Chisholm's group is scheduled to buy out the remaining minority shareholders at a $7.3 billion valuation.

  According to multiple media reports, Chisholm will take over as the Celtics' governor when the sale goes through. Outgoing owner Wyc Grousbeck is expected to serve as alternate governor and remain the CEO through 2028. Grousbeck will cede his role when he no longer has the required ownership stake of at least 15 percent.

  Chisholm, the co-founder and managing partner of the California-based private equity firm STG Partners, is a Massachusetts native and longtime Celtics fan.

  Grousbeck and the outgoing ownership group Boston Basketball Partners LLC purchased the Celtics for $360 million in 2002. During that group's tenure, the club won NBA titles in 2007-08 and 2023-24 -- the latter representing Boston's league-record 18th championship.

  --Field Level Media

Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon has reached a tentative agreement to purchase the Portland Trail Blazers from the estate of Paul Allen for more than $4 billion, ESPN reported on Wednesday.

• Sportico, which first reported the agreement, said that Dundon plans to keep the NBA team in Portland.

  Blue Owl Capital co-president Marc Zahr and Sheel Tyle, co-CEO of Collective Global, are also involved in Dundon's group, per reports. Dundon bought the NHL's Hurricanes in 2018 for $425 million and also is majority owner of the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball.

  The estate announced that the Trail Blazers were for sale in May.

  The NBA's Board of Governors would have to ratify any purchase agreement.

  Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft, purchased the Trail Blazers for $70 million in 1988. He died in 2018, with his will directing his estate to sell the sports assets.

  Allen's estate also owns the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and a 25 percent stake in the Seattle Sounders of MLS.

  The Trail Blazers are one of the lowest-valued teams in the league at $3.65 billion, according to CNBC's 2025 team valuations.

  --Field Level Media

Outgoing Celtics' owner Wyc Grousbeck will not stay on as Boston's governor, as planned, when the sale of the team closes, ESPN reported Tuesday.

• Grousbeck, instead, is expected to serve as alternate governor and remain the CEO through 2028. Ownership is expected to transfer to a group led by Bill Chisholm later this summer or in early fall, once the board of governors OKs the sale.

  Chisholm and his group are buying at least 51 percent of the franchise at a valuation of $6.1 billion. The Athletic reported that under league rules, a governor must own at least 15 percent of the team.

  An alternate governor can own any stake in the team and fill in for an absent governor.

  The ownership stake will increase in 2028, according to the purchase contract, when Chisholm's group is scheduled to buy out the remaining minority shareholders at a $7.4 billion valuation.

  The new owners have been agreeable to Grousbeck maintaining a role with the team as the Chisholm group learns the business. Grousbeck has been the lead governor since his father, Irv Grousbeck, assembled a group to buy majority ownership in 2002.

  --Field Level Media

The Detroit Pistons are finalizing a one-year deal with free agent forward Javonte Green, ESPN reported Monday.

• Green, 32, split last season with New Orleans and Cleveland, averaging 5.1 points in 68 games (19 starts).

  He has career averages of 5.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 263 games (74 starts) with the Boston Celtics (2019-21), Chicago Bulls (2021-24), Pelicans and Cavaliers.

  Undrafted out of Radford (Va.) in 2015, Green played overseas from 2015-19 before getting a shot with Boston.

  --Field Level Media

The Boston Celtics waived two-way forward Miles Norris.

• The 6-foot-10 Norris appeared in three games for the Celtics last season, averaging 2.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.7 steals.

  After going undrafted in 2023, Norris began his career on a two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks. He played for the College Park Skyhawks in the G-League but was waived before making his NBA debut.

  In 2024, Norris played in the Basketbol Super Ligi in Turkey for Cagdas Bodrumspor. After four games overseas, he returned to the United States, signing a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. The forward averaged 17.1 points, while shooting 39.3 percent from deep in 22 games, for the Memphis Hustle in the G-League.

  In 2025, the 25-year-old finally saw his first NBA action as a member of the Celtics.

  --Field Level Media